The Players & the Game

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“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities, but of their advantages” Adam Smith

“Don't hate the player, hate the game” Ice T

The financial world is back in pre-crisis shape, going from black to green and red to green. But were any lessons learned from the crisis? The biggest problem remains the mix-up of tasks and responsibilities.
In this capitalist economy a company needs (huge?) profits to survive. Sure, if a reputation of Corporate Social Responsibility improves sales it might become of some concern, but never priority #1. A government’s main task is to take care of its people, those in need of help in the first place.
However: we expect companies to take responsibility for their actions and impact on humans, animals and the environment. And we demand our governments to be efficient and cost effective. That doesn't make sense.
Capitalism is morally ambivalent, the house always wins. Yet, a government should put people over profit, protecting citizens from getting sold out to corporate interests, notwithstanding costs. Politics are not a zero-sum game.
Only if we truly understand that the market and politics function differently we can keep them separated, regulate them and get realistic expectations of them. Another crisis is waiting to happen; if you can't change the players, change the game.

lyrics

Foolishly I thought that our work was done
Sadly our cognitive dissonance has won
Interns are running these obese economies
Calculating idiots are procreating policies

White collar criminals are walking the line
Citizens suffering their victimless crime

Players stay the same, boys will be boys

We can do without the rules of corporate culture
We can do without the push of invisible hands
We can boo, kick out the fools, the scorpions and vultures
We can chew, spit out, use tools like invisible fists
Start anew without the fumes in smoke filled rooms

Smoke filled rooms, the status quo is doomed
Players stay the same, so let's quit the game

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AntillectualNijmegen, Netherlands

Antillectual from Nijmegen, the Netherlands plays a socially conscious, melodic blend of music, ranging from ‘90’s skate
punk to ‘00’s emo and ‘10’s orgcore. Creating their own unique blend of stolen riffs and borrowed song titles, while carrying the torch of European punkrock....more